Application Updates – Earlier this week I found out that I have been invited to interview at Wharton! Also, I completed my Columbia interview and feel pretty good about it. I am crossing my fingers that I get a positive response soon but trying to not get my hopes up too high in case the final decision is not in my favor…
To celebrate, I am posting all the interview questions that I have collected from all corners of the internet!
- Why are you interested in an MBA?
- Why are you interested in our school?
- Tell me a little about yourself
- Walk me through your resume
- Discuss a time when you were a leader
- What are your strengths
- What are your weaknesses
- What kind of instrument would you be and why?
- Why should we accept you?
- What are your short term career goals?
- What are your long term career goals?
- Where else are you applying?
- What have you read recently?
- Tell me about a challenging situation and how you dealt with it?
- Imagine the classroom was an orchestra, what kind of instrument would you be and why?
- If you had 30 seconds to speak to the United States as a whole, what would you say and why?
- What is one product you can’t live without?
- Explain something you are working on as if I were an 8 year old
- What will you do if you don’t get into this school/business school?
- How would your boss/network/friends describe you in three words?
- Describe something that you should start doing, do more of, and do less of?
- What’s one thing you’ll never be as good at as others?
- What do you want to be remembered as?
- What are the two best pieces of advice you have been given and why?
- What is your definition of a leader? How do you fit that description?
- How do you make big decisions?
- How would your parents describe you when you were twelve?
- How would your friends describe you?
- What is the one thing I’d never have guessed about you, even after reading your application?
- What is the one thing you would liken me to remember about you?
- How did you decide to attend your undergraduate college?
- What was your undergraduate experience like?
- What is one thing you are most proud of?
- Tell me about a time you worked with a complicated person
- What are 3 strengths you have?
- What are 2 Weaknesses you have?
- Tell me about an experience you had in a diverse environment
- Discuss your career progression.
- Describe an ethical dilemma faced at work? Do you wish you reacted differently?
- Why does this school appeal to you?
- What is an activity you are involved in? Why is it important to you?
- Talk about experiences you have had at work.
- Why did you choose your undergraduate major?
- What contributions would you make to a group?
- What is most frustrating at work?
- How would co-workers describe you?
- Describe a typical work day.
- Have you worked in a team environment? What were your contributions to the effort?
- Discuss any experience you have had abroad.
- How did you choose your job after college?
- What do you do to relieve stress?
- It’s two years after graduation, what three words would your team members use to describe you?
- Describe a situation where you brought an idea forward, and it failed.
- How do you define success?
- What would you do if a team member wasn’t pulling his own weight?
- Is there anything you would like to ask me/us?
When I prepared for my Columbia interview, I focused on the Columbia specific interview questions (detailed over at ClearAdmit). I basically prepared one or two talking points for each question as well as for each bullet on my resume and then practiced, practiced, practiced. I looked a little crazy all week, talking to myself while sitting in traffic, but I think it payed off! I hope this collection of questions helps others out there preparing for interviews!
mbagirljourney 
Thoughts on the team based discussion. I got a Wharton interview too and I’m not too sure what kind of prep I can do other than some work on the prompt!
They recommended an hour of prep on the prompt – after doing some research, it seems the TBD is more about how you interact with people and how you think…things that are more core to one’s personality and something you can’t really do anything about. I am sure you will be fine!
Congratulations on your interview invitations! I was wondering if you have any advice as to who and how many people should read through my essays, just based on your experience. I have now submitted three applications but have not received any interview invitations. Unfortunately, I am the first among my friends to apply to business school, so I’m unable to solicit their feedback. Thank you!
Thank you! Have you tried seeing who in your professional network has graduated from the MBA programs (or similar programs) you are targeting? I scoured LinkedIn looking for people who could either help me with information about schools or were knowledgeable about the process. Also, I met some very helpful people who were going through the MBA admission process through class visits – we stayed in touch and reviewed each others essays. In addition, I think online MBA forums might be helpful to meet people who are applying to B-school and of course, you could always hire a consultant (but carefully vet them before doing so – they are expensive and are sometimes not as helpful as you would think). As to the number of people, I am not sure if that matters as much as long as you trust that the person reviewing your essays is knowledgeable about what MBA programs are looking for. Lastly, I have started offering $39 essay reviews as an option for applicants who do not want to/can’t afford a consultant but don’t have a lot of resources in their networks to help. Let me know if you have any other questions, I would be happy to help: mbagirljourney@gmail.com